Homeowners
and water districts can treat their wells to ensure the quality
and safety of their drinking water. Chemicals can mitigate all
types
of
contamination
except oil. Underground oil tanks increase
the risk of contamination.
New
York State Department of Environmental Conservation regulates
commercial oil tanks, but hasn't issued regulations on underground
residential
tanks.
They do have an informational
web site for homeowners that encourages
replacement.
When oil leaks into the soil from an underground tank the homeowner
is liable for the costly clean-up. It can range as high as $20,000.
Left
alone
the
contamination
can ruin a water supply for years.
The
Town should prohibit installation of new underground residential
oil tanks.
The
committee considered recommending a 5-year phase out of all residential
underground tanks. Instead, for two reasons, we are recommending
a survey and educational approach. 1) It's unclear whether
local
authority exists to impose such a regulation, and 2) a phase-out
would be difficult to monitor. We
hope that by educating homeowners about the risks and liabilities
of underground tanks people will voluntarily replace them.
By
surveying ownership of underground tanks in water overlay districts
the Town will be able to assess the risk to the aquifers and
whether the educational approach to replacement is reducing that
risk.
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